Olivia's Birthday
by Storms-Are-My-Nature
Summary: It's Olivia’s thirteenth birthday, in Florida! At first it seems to be going perfectly to plan, but then somebody goes missing and everything goes haywire…… ON HIATUS/AWAITING NEW WRITER
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Charlie Bone series, Jenny Nimmo does

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Charlie Bone series, Jenny Nimmo does!**

_**Plot: Olivia's thirteenth birthday, in Florida! At first it seems to be going perfectly to plan, but then somebody goes missing and everything goes haywire……**_

_**Pairings: Kinda TancxEm**_

Chapter One

The sleek bodies of the dancers gleamed in the torchlight as they twirled their way across the white sand under the swaying beach palms. The onlookers clapped and laughed as they partook of the elegant fare laid out on a long table covered with a spotless white cloth, chatting amiably amongst themselves.

Centre of attention was a huge boar, sizzling away on a spit over an open fire, and the delicious aroma stole over the party, overlaying the sweet scents of exotic flowers. Large birds swooped and dived in the purple sky overhead, keeping their beady eyes on the food table, waiting for an opportune moment to jump in and steal morsels. A tall boy with spiky blond hair looked up and asked of a slight girl with long white-blonde hair flying around her shoulders, "What birds are they, Em?"

Emma Tolly directed her blue gaze heavenward, and smiled. "They're only sea-gulls, Tanc. What did you expect – an albatross?"

Tancred Torsson shrugged, an easy grin making its way onto his face. "Dunno. You know me and birds – hopeless!"

Emma laughed and left to join a group of their friends by the water-edge, splashing in the waves.

Tancred watched her go with a smile. It was easy to understand why everybody seemed to like her, he reflected, and was about to wander off in another direction when he was distracted by the arrival of Lysander Sage, his best mate.

"What's up, Tanc?" The tall African asked casually, examining a sausage roll with interest. "Y'know, these sausage rolls are really good. You ought to try some."

When Tancred didn't reply, aware that Lysander was only trying to get him to cheer up, Lysander frowned and peered at him.

"Still mooning over the bird-girl?"

"No." Tancred lied.

"Well, if you're not, that means that you can come and have something to eat, than. All the best stuff will be gone soon." Offered Lysander, and nodded towards the food table with a grin.

As they filled their plates (or rather, Lysander chucked loads of random stuff on his friend's plate for him), Lysander commented, "You don't know how strange it is to have to encourage you to eat."

"Ha ha." Already Tancred was feeling better, just the sight of food making his stomach grumble, and he started wolfing down as much food as he could. Lysander watched with an amused grin.

"So much for not being hungry, famine-face!" he teased, leaning back against a tree-trunk.

"You're right about the sausage rolls," Tancred mumbled through a mouthful, "they're really good!"

"Sampling the culinary delights of Florida?" A girl with lime-green hair bounced up in pink pumps.

"Uh-huh." Tancred agreed, grabbing another handful.

"It was a really good idea to have your birthday over here, Liv." Lysander said.

(For Olivia Vertigo's thirteenth birthday, she had got her parents to organize a trip to Florida for a week, and had invited all of her friends. No, really. All seven of them: Tancred, Lysander, Emma, Charlie Bone, Fidelio Gunn, Billy Raven, and Gabriel Silk. Charlie had wheedled until Olivia agreed that Naren Bloor could come too, which made eight.)

"Yeah," Olivia grinned, performing a little pirouette in the sand and nearly losing her balance. "It was ideal, seeing as Dad's busy directing a film here anyway."

"Hey, guys!" Gabriel panted, loping up to them with a gerbil clinging to his hair (yes, he had even brought his gerbils – well, not all sixty or whatever of them, only five.). "There's DOLPHINS in the water, and Billy says they'll let us swim with them!"

Tancred blanched. "Uh – no thanks!"

"Aw, come on, Tanc! It'll be fun!" Olivia pleaded. "Think of it as a birthday present for me."

"But I've already got you a present!" Tancred objected.

"There's always room for another!" Olivia declared, dragging him, still protesting, down to the water.

Digging his heels into the sand just before he got wet, Tancred's hair started to crackle alarmingly.

"I'm not sure I should go near the water…" he said uncomfortably. Already a light wind was teasing the sea into choppy little waves. (For those of you that can't remember, Tanc's a storm-bringer.)

"Don't be such a spoil-sport, Tanc!" Fidelio called from where he was already swimming, his chestnut hair plastered to his head. "It's great fun!"

Without Tancred noticing, Olivia and Lysander had crept up on him, and with an surprised yell, he was shoved unceremoniously into the water.

Storm clouds started to cover the rising moon as the dripping Tancred hauled himself out of the sea and stormed off down the beach.

A sharp wind whipped the water into a frenzy, biting at the cheeks of the children and sending the dolphins, with clicks of fright, sliding away. Ten year old Billy Raven started to shiver violently in his wet clothes, and all the other previously swimming children ran for their towels.

Thunder boomed overhead, and Emma jumped. "I think you overdid it, guys." she said nervously.

"I'll say!" Charlie agreed through chattering teeth.

"Don't worry, Tanc'll calm down." Olivia said confidently. The other children exchanged awkward glances. "Let's go back to the party!"

Emma still looked unconvinced, and cast an anxious look down the steadily darkening shoreline.

_**OK! That started to get a bit long! So, will Tancred calm down? Will….erm…oh, scratch that, it will get more interesting, promise! Just setting the scene!**_

**REVIEW! REVIEW! MANFRED IS HYPNOTISING YOU TO REVIEW! YOU WILL REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the Charlie Bone series, Jenny Nimmo does

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Charlie Bone series, Jenny Nimmo does!**

_**Plot: Olivia's thirteenth birthday, in Florida! At first it seems to be going perfectly to plan, but then somebody goes missing and everything goes haywire……**_

_**Pairings: Kinda TancxEm**_

Chapter Two

Lightening suddenly cracked through the sky, and as thunder boomed overhead like a giant drum, rain started to pour down onto the hastily packing-up party.

Emma dashed for the cover of a nearby tree, glad that she was still in all her clothes, and not clutching a towel like some of her friends were doing.

Charlie was already sheltering under the palm, his t-shirt and shorts soaked to the skin from all the rain. (It couldn't have been from the swimming, because he had been forbidden to go into the water due to a cold.)

He looked disturbed. "Why is everyone packing up when Tanc's still out there?" he wanted to know.

"We can hardly stay out here in this weather!" Emma pointed out. "And what about your cold?"

"Blow my cold!" Charlie said, almost angrily. "The hotel's miles away – we can hardly leave Tancred here for god knows how long!"

Billy came running up, his white hair dripping into his ruby-red eyes hidden by the huge glasses perched on his nose.

"I can hardly see a thing through these!" Billy wailed, taking off his glasses and furiously wiping away the rain-drops that had been distorting his vision. He put them back on and beamed at them. "Ah, that's better!"

"As I was saying," Charlie continued, "We can't just drive off and leave him here!"

Billy looked very interested. "What are you going to do about it then?" He didn't need to ask who they were talking about – it was pretty clear.

Emma gave a half-laugh. "There's nothing much we can do!"

"We could always go and look for him," Charlie mused thoughtfully. "But it'd be pretty hard to find him in the dark, and we haven't got torches."

"And we have no idea where he is." Emma added dejectedly. They stood in the rain for a while, wondering what on earth they would do. Then Billy spoke up.

"I bet he'd be out on those rocks we saw when we went looking for shells earlier!"

Charlie's face lit up, and Emma felt a glimmer of hope stir. "Yes, he said then that it would be a great place to sit!" Charlie said excitedly.

"But I doubt it'd be very safe in this weather – just look at the waves out there!" Emma pointed out across the surging and writhing water in the cove. "And it'd be even worse out on the rocks as there's no protection. We could be swept away!"

"We just have to risk it!" Charlie decided. "Let's go and tell the others!"

The three children scurried across the wet sand to where their friends were huddled under a cluster of small palms, slipping and sliding as the sand slopped everywhere.

"No way!" Lysander said instantly when Charlie outlined their plan to him. "It's way too dangerous."

"I agree with Lysander." Fidelio decided too, and Gabriel looked positively terrified at the thought of clambering over slippery rocks in a storm.

"You can go if you want, but I'm staying here!" Olivia said mutinously, folding her arms across her chest defensively. "There is no way I'm going after Tancred when he's in a strop."

"He's not in a strop!" Emma protested. "Just a bit upset, that's all."

Olivia gave a 'huh!' of disbelief and turned her back on them. It was clear that she'd be no help whatsoever.

"What about you, Naren?" Charlie asked. He was starting to think that it might just be him, Emma and Billy on this rescue mission.

Naren looked indecisive. "I – I don't know." she said uncertainly, glancing at Olivia's back. "I don't really like storms, and…"

"And what?" Billy asked.

Naren flushed and kicked at the sand. "I'm scared of the dark." she admitted in a half-whisper.

Charlie was shocked, disbelief written across his face. "Oh – OK then." he said sadly, and turned away.

Emma and Billy hurried after him, squinting into the fierce rain lashing down into their eyes.

**OK then! This chapter is a bit shorter than the last one, as I haven't had much time to write because I've been away. **

**Thanks to all three of my reviewers: ****ThePrincessTigerLily, GoldenPeony and a random person who called themselves 'duuuuuuuuuu'. **

**I really appreciate reviews….hint hint…..and constructive criticism is good...though I don't mind compliments!**

**Chapter Three should be up shortly….and as a teaser, I'll tell you one thing……IT'S GOT SHARKS IN IT!**


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Charlie Bone, never have and probably never will

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Charlie Bone series, Jenny Nimmo does!**

_**Plot: Olivia's thirteenth birthday, in Florida! At first it seems to be going perfectly to plan, but then somebody goes missing and everything goes haywire……**_

_**Pairings: Kinda TancxEm**_

Chapter Three

The rain lashed down into their faces like it really wanted to drown them, and the wind howled in their eyes and messed up their hair.

Emma, nearly bent double against the sheer force of the storm, wanted nothing more than to race back to the party, get into the cars and drive back to the hotel. The last thing she wanted to be doing was walking out into a gale and then swim out to some rocks, just to find a boy in a tantrum.

But she thought of Tancred, and forced herself to carry on.

Lysander was pacing anxiously before the cars. The weather wasn't as bad as it was for the three out looking for Tancred, but it was still enough to send everyone else scurrying for shelter as bright cracks of lightning ripped apart the rolling purple clouds up above.

He was feeling guilty. This was why he wasn't huddled inside the cars like everyone else, and was instead berating himself as the sand was slapped by the rain, and his legs covered in gloopy muck.

_I was right not to go, _he told himself firmly, _it would have been suicide to go out there with Tancred in such a mood._

_Then why did you let Charlie and the other two go out then?_His conscience replied snarkily.

Lysander gazed out in the direction the three had taken, noting the way the waves were agitated and black, white spray flying high into the air.

_Because they wanted to, _he convinced himself, _they'll soon come back. _

_But what if they don't?_

This, the African refused to think about. He glanced into the car window and saw Olivia, Naren, Fidelio and Gabriel playing a card game. He shivered, feeling the rain and the wind starting to get to him, and, climbing into the car to join them, he didn't listen as his conscience whispered, _What if they die? _

Finally, a huge flash of lightning illuminated the sea, showing a huge hump of rocks about fifty metres out from the sand.

A lone figure was huddled upon it, pale as a ghost.

Charlie let out a sharp cry, "OI! TANCRED!"

Tancred didn't look around, didn't even seem to hear their cries as they capered about on the shore, dodging back and forth from the breakers rolling in, black and relentless.

There was only one thing for it. Charlie looked at Emma. Emma looked at Billy. They all looked at each other. Emma nodded, feeling a strange twisted sensation in her stomach. Then, after a moment's hesitation, his wine-red eyes wide behind his glasses, Billy nodded too.

Charlie took a step into the water, wading in until it came up to his neck. He looked back. The other two hadn't followed him yet, Emma's blue eyes troubled and her blonde hair windswept across her pale face.

He gave them what he hoped was an encouraging grimace, choking on salt-water as a wave washed over his head.

He emerged, spluttering and pushing his sopping fringe out of his eyes, to see that Emma was already halfway to the rocks, striking out swiftly and determinedly, Billy following her doggedly.

They pulled themselves out onto the rocks. By now, Tancred had noticed them and was standing on the slippery stone, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"What on earth are you doing here?" the storm-boy finally managed to gasp, his hair crackling wildly and the winds whirling around him like a tornado.

"We needed to come and get you because -" Charlie was cut off by a yell of pain from Emma, who was hauling her slight frame out of the water. Tancred bent down to help her out, a frown crossing his features as he saw the blood trickling down the rocks and into the sea from the gash on her fore-arm.

"Bother!" Emma said, trying to staunch the flow of blood with her soaking, salt-water laden t-shirt.

Tancred rooted around in his pocket and pulled out a damp, though remarkably clean hanky. He tied it around her arm with surprising gentleness, a slight blush mantling his cheeks. Charlie watched this with interest, but was distracted by Billy's squeak of terror.

He swung around, wondering what on earth could possibly have caused Billy to make such a sound of fear, but was stopped dead when he saw the sleek black triangles cutting swiftly through the inky water.

"Is that-" he croaked, feeling his knees begin to knock.

"Yes." Billy replied squeakily.

Sharks!

**Thankyou so much for all your patience with my unpredictable updates! Thankyou so much to all of my reviewers – there is too many to mention here as this needs to be a quickie – and I promise that next chapter I'll list in full ALL of my reviewers. Special mention if you review again, or have reviewed for all three chapters!**

**I won't be able to update for a week, starting Monday, as I'm on a school trip to Germany, away from computers and this wonderful website! But I'll see if I can slip in a small semi-chapter before I go, as a special treat to all of you lovely people out there!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Look, this is probably going to be my last update on this story. I'm really sorry, guys, but the 7th book just.... urgh! It really annoyed me, and, as a result, I thought I'd better tell you all that I've decided to leave the fandom. **

**I'll still be keeping an eye on all your stuff though – it's too good to miss! **

**If anyone is interested in taking over from any of my CB fics, leave me a note and I'll get back to you.**

**Cheers, guys – now here's the (short) update that I promised you all!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charlie Bone – Jenny Nimmo does.**

Billy let out a small whimper and grabbed Charlie's hand in terror.

"What do we do? What do we do?" he pleaded.

Charlie swallowed hard and looked at Emma and Tancred. "Tanc?" he asked. "Can you do something?"

Tancred shook his head, blue eyes wide. "If I try something, we could get blown into the water."

"Billy?" Charlie questioned. "Can you talk to them?"

Billy shook his head vehemently. "Nu-uh."

Emma stared at the nearest dark shape. "I've an idea..." she said slowly.

Tancred grabbed her good arm. "Em – your arm's hurt! There's nothing we can do."

"So we just sit here and wait to be killed, then?" Emma retorted sharply. "This is our _only_ chance. I've got to try."

The storm-boy slowly released her arm. "OK then. Just _try_ not to get killed," he pleaded.

Emma gave a small smile. "I've no intention of leaving yet," she replied, before standing up, a small figure in drenched clothes and with blood smeared across her chest.

**Sorry to leave it there, but I want to make sure that the next writer (if somebody wants this story) has something to go from. **

**I still love you all – please don't hate me for this! If any of you are interested in sci-fi and like Dr Who, feel free to check out my Dr Who and Torchwood fics.**

**(Torchwood is a spin-off of Dr Who, about Captain Jack and his Torchwood team. The primary pairing is Janto – Jack/Ianto.) **


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